In his July 3rd cartoon for the Jakarta Post, Stephff (Stefane Peray) depicted an ISIS operative hoisting an ISIS flag on which the flag’s design morphs into a skull and crossbones. On December 12th, five months later, police announced that Jakarta Post editor Meidyatama Suryodiningrat could be charged under Indonesia’s much-criticized blasphemy laws because of the publication of that cartoon. [full story]

In the United States the public is involved in a deeply impassioned and important dialogue about weaknesses in our system of justice. In recent weeks incidents involving young black men killed in confrontations with officers from their local police departments have weighed on the nation’s conscience. In all of these situations the public has perceived that unnecessary, excessive force and a rush to judgment was used by police in situations that resulted in the death of unarmed and possibly innocent young men. In two of these cases the local prosecutor’s offices refused to indict the police officers of any kind of a crime. In one case the coroner ruled that the young man’s death was clearly a homicide. (full story)

The Malaysian government has expanded its efforts to silence Kuala Lumpur-based cartoonist Zunar. On November 20, Zunar wrote “Today I was questioned for about 45 minutes by the police regarding my new cartoon book, Komplot Penjarakan Anwar (Plot to Jail Anwar) at the Dang Wangi Police Station in Kuala Lumpur. I was investigated under the ‘Classified Crime Section’ involving three different laws. The laws are: (A) Printing Presses and Publications Act, (B) Sedition Act, (B) Penal Code. Two separate police reports were made against me in two different police stations regarding the production of the book. Throughout the investigation session, I refused to answer any of the 27 questions asked by the police. In the latest development, the police have asked the online payment gateway that handles my book transactions to disclose the list of customers who have purchased my books through my official website, zunar.my.” [ full story ]

One month after winning an appeal against government censorship of two of his cartoon collections, Malaysian political cartoonist Zunar finds his work being banned and confiscated anew.
Meanwhile, Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart was found not guilty of “insulting through publication and slander” Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a cartoon published in the daily Cumhuriyet on February 1, 2014.
These latest incidents involving Zunar and Musa Kart, both past recipients of CRNI’s Courage Award (in 2011 and 2005, respectively) illustrate the endless cycle of charges and intimidation faced even by prominent cartoonists who have successfully defended their rights … [full story: Zunar] [full story: Musa Kart]

CRNI’s 2014 Award for Courage in Editorial Cartooning was shared by Indian cartoonist Kanika Mishra and Palestinian cartoonist Majda Shaheen. Ms. Mishra and Ms. Shaheen are the first women to win the award.

Kanika Mishra (photo: Rahul Katyayan)

Kanika Mishra was chosen as the co-recipient of our 2014 CIEC award for her courageous work critical of Asaram Bapu, a popular religious leader accused of rape. Kanika refused to keep quiet in the face of death threats against her and her family by the guru’s devotees, continuing her targeting of Asaram and India’s rape culture with more cartoons featuring Karnika Kahen, her “everywoman” cartoon creation. Then her Facebook and email accounts were hacked, with personal information stolen and more threats made if she refused to … [full story]

CRNI’s board chose Palestinian Majda Shaheen as the co-recipient of our 2014 CIEC award in response to the repeated threats and public campaign mounted against her due to a cartoon she published on her Facebook page that was seen as critical of Hamas, the political and military entity in control of Gaza, where she resides. The cartoon depicted her view of the relationship between the Head of the Ruling Authority in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, and the Al-Quds brigades, as detailed on ArabCartoon.net.
As she so eloquently stated in her acceptance remarks, which she was unable to travel to America to give in person due to continuing concerns for her safety … [full story]Majda Shaheen on FacebookMajda Shaheen on TwitterMajda Shaheen on Cartoon Movement

Palestinian Majda Shaheen and Kanika Mishra from India have been presented CRNI’s 2014 Award for Courage in Editorial Cartooning – the first women to receive the award. The ceremony took place on October 11th at San Francisco’s Morgan Auditorium, as the closing event of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists annual convention.
Ms. Mishra delivered her acceptance remarks in person, while the remarks from Ms. Shaheen, who for reasons of personal safety was not able to attend, were read aloud by American cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize winner Ann Telnaes. [full story]